Missions Closed Due To Refinery Explosion And Fire

The AGE Refinery, located between Missions San Jose and San Juan in San Antonio, was rocked by an explosion late yesterday morning. The San Antonio fire and police departments quickly shut down access roads within a mile radius around the refinery. A tanker truck apparently exploded at a loading dock in the city’s only refinery, injuring at least two workers. One other tanker has apparently exploded as well, and firefighters are spraying water and foam on nearby storage tanks and lines to prevent further explosions. AGE Refinery refines jet fuel and diesel. Park officials immediately responded by closing Mission San Juan and Mission Espada. Mission San Juan will remain closed on May 6th, while Mission Espada will be reevaluated for employee and visitor safety today pending developments last night. The park visitor center at Mission San Jose remains open, but if smoke starts to billow into the area the situation will be reevaluated. Mission Concepcion has not been affected by the fire. Park staff are working closely with emergency hazmat teams to identify the locations of critical park resources located immediately adjacent to the refinery. The San Juan acequia, an intact Spanish colonial irrigation system constructed in the 1740s, runs directly behind and adjacent to the AGE Refinery. Booms have been deployed to support containment systems to prevent chemicals from entering both the acequia and the nearby San Antonio River. It is too early to know if the river and/or the acequia have been affected by the refinery fire. For more information, click on the link below.